


Curse of the Mysterious Manor

by The_Lost_Messenger



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon
Genre: Adventure, Gen, Thriller
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-08-06 06:44:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16383281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Lost_Messenger/pseuds/The_Lost_Messenger
Summary: To the north of Mystery Jungle exists a strange manor, and those who've escaped with their lives return with scars and ominous anecdotes. These stories capture the attention of Pokemon throughout the continent, and a successful investigation may be what Mismagius and Meowstic need to propel them toward new opportunities as explorers. However, when their mission quickly turns into an urgent rescue operation, reaching new heights as an exploration team becomes the least of their worries.Unfortunately, their plight gets worse from there.





	Curse of the Mysterious Manor

Even after four months and constant work, she still hadn’t received a gold badge in the mail. One more month of waiting, and something must've gone wrong on her end.

Mismagius gazed at the dim, silver badge attached to her bag. It was without a doubt duller than the glistening gold or pretty platinum that better explorers wore, yet even though it wasn’t the worst rank a team could’ve mustered, nothing about the badge touched her heart or sparked a smile.

“Leave those missions to the pros,” Mismagius reminded herself through clenched teeth. She exhaled. “Those Pokemon need help, so stop being self-centered. There will come a time when those options are available without any hassle, so just focus on the now. Other Pokemon need you, right?”

“Ugh, why am I thinking about this again?” Mismagius shoved her badge away and tucked it beneath her bright blue scarf. “Why the massive gap between silver and gold ranks? We can help with more missions, right?” She lowered her head, almost touching the table with her forehead. “Can’t be helped, huh? Best to do what’s always been done.”

Mismagius opened one of her newest letters. The contents spilled out in an instant as they plopped onto her mahogany desk with a nice clack. Her eyes were drawn to the pink disk surrounded by some money and a Heal Seed, TM99 inscribed on its shiny surface.

Her lips curled into a soft smirk, not big or cheery, but a smirk nonetheless. “At least it’s something,” she whispered under her breath. “Ought to write a friendly note back. I’m sure they’ll appreciate it.”

She slipped the letter back into the envelope, then placed it alongside the stack of letters to the left of her desk, tall and wide enough to have served as a makeshift fortress if she was so inclined. She looked behind her shoulder and at the base’s front door. “Speaking of which, shouldn’t she be back from Kecleon Shop? Is everything—”

“Okay,” a serene voice said. A faint creak split the air as the base’s door opened. A white, feline-like Pokemon strolled inside with a tote bag filled to the brim with seeds, berries, and bluish orbs. She donned a blue scarf much like Mismagius’s, its shade a lighter color than her dark blue tufts of fur. However, the first thing that always popped out whenever someone gazed into Meowstic’s eyes was how emotionless she looked from the outside.

Mismagius knew better. Her eyes widened and shone the moment she saw her partner return to the base. Her tendril-like arms touched her chest. And sure enough, Meowstic’s cheeks became a rosy pink once they made eye contact.

“What took you so long, sweetie?” Mismagius asked, floating away from her desk and toward her partner. She slipped a faint giggle, and her friend responded in kind. “Kecleon Shop isn’t _that_ far away from here? Didn’t you say it was just a hop, skip, and jump?”

Meowstic cracked a soft smile, though it was almost invisible to the naked eye. “I didn’t mean literally,” she said. Her eyes glowed a bright aquamarine, and she pushed some of the clutter away from the desk with telekinesis. The stuffed bag soon occupied the empty space. “Besides, there’s a reason why I ran late.”

“Always something, eh?” Mismagius swooped around her friend, leaning against her friend’s shoulder as the latter returned the favor. “Was there some commotion in the town square again, or did a new mission come up?”

Meowstic nodded twice, which urged her friend into leaning forward with widened eyes. “When isn’t there commotion in town?” She approached the satch with short strides, then reached into its contents and pulled out a crumpled sheet of paper. “Excuse the creases. It came to me like this.”

“Bidoof had the sheet, huh?”

“Not this time.” Meowstic’s tail twitched a little. “Doduo was freaking out and trying to give it to every Exploration Team he came across.” She unfurled the sheet of paper and slid it atop the desk, careful not to have knocked any letters or inkwells over. “He never bothered to explain anything else. Before anyone knew it, he ran off.”

“Nothing new from him.” Mismagius paused, then fiddled with her hat. “Isn’t he always behaving like there’s a meteor on the way?”

A faint laugh passed through Meowstic’s lips. “Same Doduo.”

Mismagius snatched the sheet of paper and studied its contents. A massive question mark adorned the center, surrounded by a sketch of a mansion covered with smears and coffee stains to the left and some kind of bright red stain on the right.

“Sound familiar?” Meowstic asked, pointing to the words beneath the question mark.

Mismagius gasped. “You mean what happened to Roserade?”

Meowstic replied with another nod.

 

 

 

> _Exploration Teams,_
> 
>  
> 
> _Have you heard of the story behind those odd disappearances and similar reports? You know, the ones where the Pokemon loses all their items, experiences some kind of shock, and always has a X-shaped scar on their cheek? Well, I know where the culprit lives._
> 
>  
> 
> _There’s an old manor just to the north of Mystery Jungle, a few decrepit pillars leading up to it if you need a clue about where it is. Once the fog becomes thicker, you’ll know you are almost there. Don’t listen to whoever says you should turn back. That’s a trick._
> 
>  
> 
> _Anonymous_

“Checks out with everything we’ve heard,” said Mismagius. “Don’t see anything different, but—there’s nothing new.” In a heartbeat, she shuddered as the air felt cold. “Wait, something isn’t right. Usually, posters on the Outlaw Notice Board are signed by the client Pokemon.”

“Correct.” Meowstic stroked her chin, eyes widened a little. “Hm, come to think of it, Doduo seemed more anxious than usual. He kept shoving his way through crowds, even bothering Pokemon who weren’t explorers and the like.”

“Maybe he knows a thing or two about the problem." Mismagius leaned back and sighed. She smacked her forehead and sported a weary look. "Even a small clue would help. This letter sounds more like a challenge than something you'd find on the Job Bulletin Board.” She brought the note closer to her as she skimmed it a second time. Her eyes then returned to focus on Meowstic. “Anything else that seemed unusual?”

“He was as vague as ever, which _isn’t_ unusual. I'd be surprised if he gave us teams more than just a few crumbs.” Meowstic sighed and placed her paws behind her back. “Maybe Roserade’s testimony and the manor’s location are all we’ve got. Better than nothing.”

Mismagius caught her breath. “You think someone could be playing a trick.”

“Wouldn’t be the first trap of its kind either.” Meowstic rubbed her paws together. “Sadly, there aren’t many safe ways to find out. Even the novice bandits know not to make it too obvious. Learned about that when I started out.” She rested her right forepaw on the desk and crossed her legs. “One thing has me thinking it might be a trick. Anonymous requests like these are always sent to someone like Wigglytuff or Ampharos, not just any exploration team.”

“That doesn't mean the mission is more or less valid. Anonymous requests like these still happen, but I guess you've got a point. You were always on top of these kinds of little details.” Mismagius closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She nudged closer to Meowstic. “Speaking of which, is Doduo still around? I know he's the best at explaining, but we might be able to get something before going to Mystery Jungle.”

“Gone. He could be anywhere as far as we know. Not like he'd be of much help given his usual demeanor.” Meowstic tapped the table’s surface. Knocks reverberated throughout the room. “He left the premises once two exploration teams took up his request. Don't know if they have lots of experience, but I know one of them is Silver Rank." She rubbed the back of her neck. White and blue hairs on her body stood up. "They could be heading into trouble.”

Mismagius gulped. “They’ll need our help if things go south.”

Pacing back and forth, Meowstic mumbled something to herself while tapping her paw four times in succession. She nodded, then looked back up to Mismagius and gave her friend a steeled expression. “We’ll need to find a Lombre, Skorupi, Sawk, and Turtonator. No one else went from what I saw, but we could be dealing with more than just those Pokemon. If we're heading out, we should meet up with them and work together.”

“Anyone else who might've gone?” Mismagius asked.

“Doubtful.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Mismagius whisked her blue scarf, tied it around her neck, and darted toward the front door with her bag. She nudged the door open, sunlight creeping through the slight gap and onto the floor. “There’s no time to waste!”

A slight smile ran across Meowstic’s face as she approached her friend with short steps. Stopping just short of the front door, she glanced behind her shoulder and at the opened cabinets beside their desk. She inched closer to Mismagius, then followed her out the base and into the outside world.

They quivered as a faint breeze swirled past them, the afternoon sky darker than usual despite the lack of clouds. Nevertheless, the sun was still overhead, and they held their heads high as they marched toward Mystery Jungle.

* * *

Mismagius’s breaths were often the loudest things she heard throughout their adventure in the Mystery Jungle. That wasn’t to have implied she and Meowstic were alone in the thick greenery and slight fog that characterized the region. Far from it given how often they heard leaves crunched beneath another wild Pokemon.

Even with their tendencies to act as roadblocks, Mismagius never felt a bead of sweat dripping down her forehead. Her healthy supply of berries hadn’t changed a bit since the expedition began, and Meowstic’s calm visage and smooth strides were the same as always.

It had given the pair ample time to have appreciated Mystery Jungle’s scenery. The coniferous trees that littered the place stretched toward the clouds, covering the earth in a blanket of shade. Brief gusts of wind pushed against the trees and caused them to sway back and forth like dancers. Mothim flew away from those trees and sometimes dropped seeds whenever they were above the two explorers.

Mismagius glanced at her map of the region every three or four minutes, and Meowstic often followed suit. She knew the northernmost point of the forest couldn’t have been too far away, but no signs of a manor or anything alluded to in the note made themselves known. She took a deep breath, rolled up the map, and placed it back in her bag.

“Anything seem unusual, sweetie?” Mismagius said as she turned to face her friend.

Meowstic shrugged, then shook her head. “This place is always kind of weird,” she replied. “Otherwise, it’s what you’d expect. Aside from a few Ariados and Weepinbell, the Pokemon were rather pleasant. One of the easier missions we’ve gone on, but. . .”

“Nothing says it won’t get tougher from here.” Mismagius wrapped her tendrils like hands grasping each other. She exhaled. “Now might be a good time to formulate a plan of action. The manor will almost certainly be occupied.”

“Based on the testimony, I’d wager that we’ll meet a few ghost-types along the way.” Meowstic crossed her arms. Her eyes darted back and forth, pausing whenever she noticed a nearby shrub swaying back and forth. Nothing ever leapt out of the foliage, however, and she brought her attention back to Mismagius. “You’ll be especially good at getting through with your Shadow Ball. I might know the same move, but you’re better at it than me.”

Mismagius’s cheeks felt warm. She was used to such compliments from Meowstic, though each and every one touched her heart in ways no one else could have managed. “Don’t sell yourself short. I’d never get anywhere as an explorer without your help. You're the one who's gone above and beyond to develop strategies for us.” She playfully nudged Meowstic, her smile brighter than the sun. “We make the perfect team!”

“You’re always so modest. I know better than anyone that you're stronger than you think.” Meowstic stifled a laugh, and her lips curled into the softest of smiles. “Back to the topic at hand, we’ll need to keep our distance from Pokemon who excel at close combat. Neither of us take ghost-type attacks well, especially physical ones.” The Pokemon rubbed her shoulders, cheeks tautened. "You know how to deal with those, right?"

“I’ll keep to the air, and you can force them to stay back with your Psyshock and Thunderbolt. That’ll stall Pokemon who prefer close quarters combat.” Mismagius rubbed her forehead. When she noticed Meowstic's nod of approval, the ghost-type held back a laugh. Of course her friend figured out the answer, but devising the plan on her own made her warm and fuzzy on the inside. “It’s the best chance we have at. . .”

Mismagius shivered without warning. Her purplish color became somewhat lighter in tone, and the wind picked up. She glanced back at her friend and saw the latter stroking the fur around her neck and biting her lower lip.

“Look at what we’ve got here,” someone whispered in a scratchy voice. Bright, bluish sparks appeared before the duo. “I don’t know if we’re seeing brave Pokemon, stupid Pokemon, or both!”

Mismagius swallowed some saliva. “What do you mean?”

A purplish tornado formed before the two Pokemon. Once it disappeared, all that remained was a Pokemon shaped like a lightning rod, his smile running from the far end of one cheek to the other. A bluish aura of electricity surrounded him, its shape trying to mimic a bolt despite being unstable. He zipped around at blistering speeds, then stopped inches from Mismagius’s face.

Mismagius shuddered and leaned away from the stranger. “Hey! Don’t use Astonish on us if you want to talk!” she shouted. She took a few deep breaths, then wiped her forehead. “Alright, let’s cut to the chase. Do you know anything about the manor?”

Meowstic’s ears twitched as she kept her focus on the stranger. Her eyes emitted a bright light, paws raised as she donned a scowl. “We’ve got some Pokemon to help. Don’t make this difficult for us.”

The stranger laughed a second time. “Hold your horses, lassies!” he teased. “I’m not here to cause you any trouble! Heck, you ought to be thanking me for trying to keep you safe! Don’t you know he’ll go mental if he catches you in the manor?”

“He?” Mismagius said, leaning away from the orange Pokemon. “You know about the manor and what’s going on?”

“I sure do! Been there a few times.” The stranger nodded. “Name’s Rotom, by the way.”

“Well, my name is Mismagius, and—” she pointed toward her friend “—this is my partner, Meowstic. If you know anything about four Pokemon heading toward the manor, and what’s in the manor itself, we’d appreciate it.”

“Hah! Don’t you know most who enter the manor never come out?” Rotom charged toward Meowstic, stopping just a smidgen away from the latter’s nose. “You must know Roserade or what happened to her. Am I right, or am I right?”

“Correct,” Meowstic replied. She pushed Rotom away, then took a step back. She caught her breath. “Let's cut to the chase. We’re looking for two exploration teams who’re investigating the manor and what happened to Roserade. Are you going to help us or not?”

“I’ve got bad news for you, lass.” Rotom held back some laughter. Tears welled up in his eyes despite the long smile. “Roserade isn’t an amateur, and if she had so much trouble, those idiots won’t last more than a minute!”

“That’s why we need to help them!” Mismagius said. She touched her chest and leaned closer to Rotom. “Have you seen a Lombre, Skorupi, Sawk, and Turtonator walk past? If you know anything about the manor and what goes on there, please tell us.”

“First, I have seen them.” Rotom turned to make eye contact with Mismagius. “Secondly, I don’t know much about the manor other than how big it is. Oh, and I know about the scars on victims’ cheeks, but I have heard some—” Rotom coughed “—other stories.”

Meowstic tilted her head. She sported narrowed eyes and an expressionless face. “Could you—explain?”

“Haven’t inhabited an exposition machine yet, so slow down!” Rotom chortled yet again. He looked around to see if anyone else was laughing, but when all he got was silence, the Pokemon sighed and rolled his eyes. “It’s because I can possess appliances, you know.”

“Do I need to repeat myself?”

Rotom nodded. “Alright, I’ll answer a question, but it better be good.”

“I’ve got one that might be important,” Mismagius replied. She hummed for a second or two, then continued, “How does the culprit move about? If you know more about the manor than most, then you should know at least something about whoever is behind all these crimes.”

“This can only end well,” Rotom whispered under his breath. He turned away from Mismagius and Meowstic, then pointed at a small clearing in the forest. The Pokemon raised his voice and continued, “A shadowy figure sometimes emerges from these very bushes. All I know for sure is that he’s not a ghost-type.” Rotom’s white aura stroked his chin, eyebrow raised. “Oh, and he wasn’t a dark-type. Either way, you’ll figure it out.”

“Is he even a Pokemon?” Meowstic said, stepping closer to Rotom.

“Maybe?” Rotom sighed, head lowered. “Don’t expect me to know _everything_ about this guy.” In the blink of an eye, his head rose, eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. “But I bet they’ll know something.”

Rustling leaves echoed around the trio. Shrubs shook in front of the group. Their noises became louder and movements more violent by the second. A thin, arm-like appendage stretched above one of the shrubs and flailed its arm back and forth.

Mismagius bit her lip, reaching into her bag without a second thought and fumbling for a Spurn Orb. The noises became louder and louder, yet she still hadn’t found the right orb. Her attention shifted to Meowstic, whose posture was as composed as ever. Nevertheless, her friend’s paws twitched.

A bloodcurdling scream split the air.

Rotom held back a laugh. “Right on cue!”

Three figures leapt from the shrubbery. One was rather thin and wore a lily pad atop his head, the other had muscles that were more like rocks than anything else, and the third carried a jagged shell as large as some sheds.

Mismagius pulled out her Spurn Orb, yet stopped short of activating it as she recognized the figures approaching her with pale faces and bruises all over their body. She let go of the Spurn Orb, the tension in her chest dissipating a little.

“What’s going on?” Mismagius called out to the three Pokemon, cheeks tautened. She swooped in front of Lombre, Sawk, and Turtonator. “Where’s Skorupi? I thought four of you went to catch the Pokemon in the manor.”

“Don’t just stand there!” Turtonator screamed, his voice high-pitched. The earth felt like it shook with each step he took. His legs moved until they were blurs despite being rather thick and stubby. “Just run!”

“But we can’t leave him!” Lombre shrieked. He froze in place, but not before his eyes almost rolled back. “He has Skorupi! That monster trapped us in the manor and took Skorupi! He’s doomed! He's trapped forever in that goop!”

“Goop?” Meowstic muttered under her breath. She approached Lombre as Sawk and Turtonator ran past the rest of the group with loud, heavy steps. Once everything became quiet, she cleared her throat and continued, “Can you tell us where you last saw Skorupi?”

Lombre wiped the tears from his eyes. “I don’t know! He was stuck in some kind of cage when I found him! Then some creepy guy said he’d trap him in goop, and then I saw those two big guys freaking out!”

Rotom rolled his eyes. “Couldn’t just act smart and leave him alone for one—”

“We’ve got to save him!” Mismagius interrupted. She approached Lombre and rubbed the young Pokemon’s shoulder. “Don’t you worry. We’ll get your friend back in no time. Just get somewhere safe, and we’ll handle this.”

“Are you, um, sure?”

Meowstic cracked a smile. “Positive.”

Lombre blinked a few times, hunched over. “Thank you. Please get him back to Treasure Town right away. I’ll be waiting there when you return.” He looked over to Rotom, then spat at the small Pokemon. “And I thought you cared about us, Rotom!”

“Never said anything like that! Who taught you such manners, anyway?” Rotom turned to face Mismagius and Meowstic. “As for you two, I’d love to see the looks on your faces when you meet that psychopath.” Rotom exhaled, mouth agape. “Maybe I’ll get that chance, but I’ve got to get things ready. Time waits for no Pokemon, and ghost-types such as myself are no different. I'm sure you two know that already.”

“Ready for what?” Mismagius pouted. She flew toward Rotom and stroked her own chin. “Keeping everything vague in the middle of something like this isn’t a good look. I know we’ve all just met, but are you going to help us save his friend or not?”

Rotom looked away from Mismagius, nervous chuckles escaping his mouth. “Always with the same question. Besides, it’s just boring, home improvement stuff. Can’t a little guy do a few things without _everyone_ asking what this or that means?" Grumbling, he zipped over to his left, then a little higher less than a second later, and stopped once he was looking back into Mismagius's eyes. "But you twits just keep poking your noses in places no one should visit.”

“Come on, Mismagius,” said Meowstic. She flicked her tail and marched toward the clearing. Seconds later, she slowed down until her friend caught up. “We don’t have time to deal with someone like him.”

“We’ll rescue Skorupi. That’s a promise.” Mismagius turned to face Lombre and winked, which earned her a soft smirk from the latter despite the Pokemon’s tears. She then turned back to Rotom, and her expression soured in an instant. “You'd better make sure everyone stays safe. I don't want to see any more tricks and half-answers from you.”

Rotom shrugged, pretending to ignore everyone nearby. “I’ll get those big guys to keep Lombre safe, but that’s all you’ll get from me!” He chuckled, lips curled into a wide smile. “Besides, I’ve got _way_ more important things to do!”

* * *

A thick fog surrounded Mismagius and Meowstic as they marched through the northern part of Mystery Jungle. Not even the slightest noise made itself known for minutes at a time. As such, every odd leaf stepped upon was like an explosion amidst the lack of noise.

Mismagius kept her head raised as she ventured toward the unknown. She sometimes glanced back at Meowstic to ensure she was okay. There was some solace in having someone by her side, even if the complete lack of anything had given her a slight chill.

However, the puddles of runny snow before them must’ve been misplaced.

Mismagius blinked. When she opened her eyes, the silhouette of what looked like a massive castle appeared before her. She gasped, then shielded her mouth for the briefest of moments. “That must be it!” she exclaimed.

Meowstic nudged closer to her friend, rubbed her eyes, and then nodded. “Doubt it could be anything else,” she said. “Would’ve heard about another manor or something if we’ve got the wrong place.”

“Good point.” Mismagius rubbed the back of her neck and blushed.

As if by magic, the fog dissipated in a matter of seconds and revealed a mansion. Its walls were colored a pale green. A lime-colored goop was affixed to the wooden beams as though someone had used too much adhesive. Vines constricted the house, some of which went through the broken windows or into the circular chimney. Smells of rotten berries and sewage permeated throughout the area, just faint enough to where it wouldn’t have destroyed one’s nostrils.

Mismagius and Meowstic were the only souls nearby.

Despite this, Mismagius felt a cold sweat cascade down her body. Someone, or something, watched their every move. She had no proof, hence why she kept her mouth shut, but the sensation never went away.

“Be on your guard,” Meowstic whispered. Her ears twitched. “Even if the story’s just a folktale, you know some Pokemon would leap at the opportunity to take advantage of that.”

Mismagius nodded in an instant. “We’ll need to cover as much of our surroundings as possible. I’ll focus on everything ahead, and you can cover the stuff to our right and behind. If anything jumps out, we’ll alert each other.” She pulled on her scarf. “Understood?”

Meowstic gave her partner a nod.

The pair approached the manor’s entrance. Mismagius kept her breathing as quiet as possible, while Meowstic’s steps were slow and soft. Their eyes never blinked as they surveyed the region. Every slight movement from an inanimate object grabbed their attention for a moment.

Once they were inches away from the door, Mismagius and Meowstic opened it together with their telekinetic powers. A harsh creak pierced their eardrums. The air became thinner, yet heavier on Mismagius’s body at the same time.

Both Pokemon passed through the doorway. Before them was a long, wide hallway, each side leading into one of three rooms. An elaborate, spiral staircase was located at the end of the hallway, stopping just before the second floor and far short of the third. Dust covered every square inch of the interior. The carpet beneath them sported dozens of jagged cuts.

But the worst were those Unown portraits and their massive, uncanny eyes. Mismagius tensed up if she looked at any of them for more than a second or two, feeling as though they gazed into her soul.

A faint whisper swirled around the manor, too quiet to have understood.

“Ghost-types might love spooky manors, but I _don’t_ feel right at home,” Mismagius whispered. She feigned a laugh, receiving a quieter one from Meowstic in return. “We should probably stick close together.”

Meowstic dusted off her shoulders. “Makes sense to me,” she said. “What’s the plan should we run into the culprit? Should we stay close and combine—”

A wooden wall shot up from the ground and toward the ceiling. Thumps and several cracks that sounded like bones being snapped in two followed suit. Dust flew everywhere as the echoes of someone’s laughs echoed throughout the hallway.

Mismagius’s heart skipped a beat. She turned to her right, yet Meowstic was nowhere to be found. “Meowstic, are you okay?” she shrieked. Trying to regain her composure, Mismagius rose up a few inches and quivered. “Can you hear me? Please say anything!”

“I’m okay,” Meowstic’s voice replied. “Ugh, I think some debris might’ve struck my forearm, but I’ll be fine. Still have some of the berries and some bandages we took before leaving the base, so don’t—”

A slam reverberated around Mismagius. Two clunks came after, then silence.

“Meowstic?”

Seconds passed, yet no response.

“Meowstic!” Mismagius narrowed her eyes. Using every ounce of her strength, she charged at the wall, knowing she would’ve phased through with her ability. That part would’ve been easy, having done it a million times already.

Mismagius’s forehead collided into the wall with a sickening thud. Grunting, she then collapsed onto the floor, her body stiff as aches coursed through it. Her eyes fluttered as she felt lighter than air.

“Why did that. . .” Mismagius murmured. She tried to push herself upright, but a sharp, piercing sensation through her nerves pushed her back down. She closed her eyes. “Don’t leave me, Meowstic. You’re my. . .”

The last thing Mismagius heard before she lost consciousness were harsh hisses.

* * *

_Tick-tock!_

_Tick-tock!_

Mismagius’s head rang when she woke up. Her eyes fluttered open, the tiled floor she rested on smooth and cold. Everything around her was a blur, yet she picked up on the room’s muted colors and the dining table with a knife through its surface just a meter or two away.

Her eyes widened, and everything then became clearer in less than a second. She gasped, the room having metamorphosed from a dark hallway with a red carpet underneath into something unfamiliar.

There was the aforementioned dining table and three chairs around it, plus a refrigerator, a grandfather clock of all things, and some closed drawers. A dim light passed through the room’s only window and onto a Pikachu-shaped silhouette, its neck stapled to the wall. Some kind of thick liquid beneath the silhouette descended toward the floor.

Mismagius gasped and felt lightheaded. Heartbeats akin to sonic booms echoed into her ears. She rubbed her eyes and stood up, then turned toward the ominous silhouette whose neck was affixed to the wall. She grasped her bag’s strap, its weight tugging against her shoulder and feeling heavier by the second. The heartbeats became faster and faster, drowning out almost any other sound that might've reached her.

“Hey, don’t go making things worse!” a raspy voice screamed. The silhouette flailed around and sprouted a shadowy arm. Specks of light touched its body, revealing itself to be a Mimikyu whose disguise had been affixed to the wall. “Everyone who sees me thinks I’m a Pikachu! No way the guy in this mansion is that twisted. I mean, he’s really twisted, but there’s a line to draw, y’know?”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Mismagius loosened the grip on her bag’s strap, then approached Mimikyu and pulled out the staple. The puppet-like Pokemon fell to the ground and scurried closer to Mismagius.

“Aren’t you a generous one?” Mimikyu added. He stretched his arm out and nudged the puppet’s broken head, but each attempt tore a larger hole in the fabric. “Wonderful! It took me three months to perfect this disguise, and that stupid frog ruined it with his little stunt! He never shuts up about his life’s story, and I have to endure it over and over again!” Mimikyu thrashed and groaned, then fiddled with his puppet’s head.

“Frog?” Mismagius sported a curious look as she leaned closer to Mimikyu. She hovered closer to the floor until their eyes were level, or at least as level as she could’ve been with a Mimikyu. “Is he the Pokemon who’s been causing all sorts of trouble?”

“Bingo!” Mimikyu slapped the floor, and claps rang around the Pokemon. “The baddie you’re looking for is a Greninja! Well, it’s actually more his soul since he was cursed to wander this mansion. You know, he wanted to make a name for himself after robbing tons of Pokemon and beating ‘em up if they fought back.”

“Another one of those criminals.” Mismagius rubbed her chin. “Does it mean we’re not dealing with a normal Pokemon? How am I supposed to save Meowstic and Skorupi if he’s more a spirit than a Pokemon?”

Mimikyu hummed for a moment, but then shook his head. “Beats the heck out of me. He's not the same as ghost-types like us." He stroked the disguise's tattered chin. "Oh, there’s one more thing I should mention since you must be curious. That lust for fame led to him going after Giratina and his Griseous Orb. Zero guesses how that ended, but he might’ve gave him an obscure way to break the curse and never bothered to tell. Typical legend stuff.”

“And that’s how you beat him?”

“I’m gonna have to settle for a ‘maybe’ on that one.” Mimikyu scratched the wooden table with his black, shadow-like claw. Screeches not unlike nails against a chalkboard filled the room, and his posture sagged even more. “Could be lies, and that'd really get me going after all this time. Even then, good luck finding something about the curse. Giratina’s in the Distortion World according to all those books our foe keeps.”

“Which means the curse must affect him and the mansion. Sort of explains why I couldn’t phase through a wall.” A sigh passed through Mismagius’s lips. “Would’ve been great to know about that before running into it like a moron. Can’t say it makes sense.”

“Some things just can’t be explained, miss. Not like you had any way of knowing beforehand.” Mimikyu rubbed its disguise’s chest. “By the way, you sure remember a lot after being unconscious for twenty minutes. Could’ve sworn you’d be even more confused about what’s going on.”

Mismagius rubbed the back of her neck, cheeks warm. “Well, I was in the initial hallway before knocking myself out. Did someone drag me into the kitchen?” She then fiddled with her bag and withdrew an Oran Berry. “Then how come no one stole my items?”

Mimikyu shook his head. “Something must’ve dragged you. Guessing it was probably his not-cursed pal, Rotom. He loves rearranging the rooms, goading Pokemon into the manor, and doing his bidding. Might be the only reason why Greninja doesn’t hurt him since the psycho can’t leave and all.”

A stupefied look adorned Mismagius. She swallowed the Oran Berry she'd consumed with a loud gulp. “You’re kidding, right?”

“So you met him? Yeah, he’s basically a meaner, dumber version of me. I’d love to punch that stupid grin off his face.” Mimikyu suppressed a laugh. He flailed his dark tendril back and forth and growled. The littlest inconvenience could have set him off at that point. “That must've been the anonymous note sent out to Treasure Town! Oh, he's really going to hear it from me once we cross paths!”

"That was him?"

Mimikyu gave his acquaintance a nod. He fiddled with the damaged disguise as the head kept coming close to being torn off. "He's got to get Pokemon into the mansion somehow, right?"

“Maybe he was why I got separated from Meowstic. Wouldn't put it past him if what you're saying is true.” Mismagius quivered at the mention of her friend’s name. She stood tall, head lowered as she maintained focus on Mimikyu. “By the way, did you see a Meowstic go through here? What about a Skorupi?”

“Yes on the first one!” Mimikyu hopped onto the dining table. “Creepy guy dragged her through this room and into the manor’s library. Don’t quote me on this, but he plans on—” he waved his hand back and forth “—doing something to her while she’s out cold. Something about drinking her blood to revive himself.”

Mismagius leaned away from the Pokemon, eyes the size of dinner plates. “ _What_?”

“Yeah, it’s the one thing he never shuts up about. You hear all sorts of things when you’re stuck to a wall, y’know.” Mimikyu coughed a few times. “Wish I could’ve told you something less gruesome, but. . .”

“Why her?” Mismagius’s heart sank at the mere mention of battle. She fell onto the floor, head lowered and tears welled up in her eyes. “This—this is my fault. I shouldn’t have rushed into the forest.” She took a short breath. “I’m too weak. . .”

“And?”

“Why else do you think Meowstic and I are still waiting for that chance to help on tougher missions?” Mismagius wiped her eyes, yet the tears kept flowing. Her eyes itched. “Besides, I’m literally nothing without Meowstic. It should’ve been me who got captured, not her.”

Mimikyu shrugged. He lurched closer to Mismagius, hand on his disguise's broken head. “Don’t know what to tell you, miss.” He sighed, then stretching his arm out and rubbing Mismagius's back. It felt colder than a pack of ice, yet somehow comfortable at the same time. “If it makes you feel better, the library is the second door to your left if you leave through there.” He shimmied to his right and toward a passageway. “Just head that way and save your friend once you're ready.”

Mismagius floated away from Mimikyu and brought her full attention to the passageway. She wiped away some tears, then sniffled. “I’ll do everything in my power to save her.”

“You’re still a sobbing wreck!” Mimikyu hopped in place, the eyes on the puppet’s chest narrowed. “Don’t give me that whole thing about feeling better so soon after that little confession. I know a liar when I see one!”

"I'm not suddenly fine, but I'm doing what needs to be done to save my friends." Mismagius nodded without hesitation. Her throat tightened. “Just because I’m sad and scared doesn’t mean I’ll go down without a fight. I have to fight through the tears, and even if things don’t work, giving up is not an option. Meowstic needs my help right now. Skorupi needs my help.” She tugged on her bag's strap until it couldn't have been much tighter. "Crying never solved any problems."

Mimikyu tapped the table and whistled. “Look at you go! I’m rooting for you, miss!” He gave Mismagius a thumbs up, arm stretched toward the ceiling. “Anything that’ll annoy the heck out of that Greninja is fine by me. Just—” Mimikyu withdrew his arm back into the disguise “—just don’t pass out a second time, okay?”

“No promises.” Mismagius blushed and forced a smile through the tears. She lurched forward, then approached the passageway out the kitchen and toward the manor’s library. Before she entered the next room, she looked back at Mimikyu. “You sure know a lot about the manor. Just who are you?”

“Some guy who likes ominous places.” Mimikyu chuckled. He caught his breath and hopped down from the table. “Love the atmosphere and how it always feels cramped, but it does get lonely.” He extended his arm and waved. “Don’t want to keep you waiting, so get out there and save your friend.”

Mismagius wiped her eyes. “I will.”

The rooms became dimmer as Mismagius left the kitchen and crawled her way toward an opened door to her left. What looked like a bookcase was visible from the other side, its contents impossible to have determined from where she stood. Muffled thumps became louder as she got closer, not a heartbeat like before, but not the sound of someone approaching from the shadows. These tremors were unlike anything she'd experienced.

“ _Who’s there_?” a voice hissed. “ _Who dares enter my home_?”

The temperature plummeted as though the manor had been moved into an icy cavern. Mismagius closed her eyes as she pushed the door open with her shoulder. Dust fell from the ceiling and just missed the rim of her hat. She shuddered, but stuck her head into the library as her eyes darted back and forth for any trace of Meowstic.

Bookcases lined the walls, yet most of them were empty aside from one or two books covered in cobwebs. Most had already collapsed, and even the shinier ones hung on by a thread. In the room’s center were two plush, green chairs that had been toppled over and a table that had been split in two.

Mismagius covered her mouth as she saw what rested behind the broken table. A white and blue Pokemon was wrapped around a wooden pole with her eyes closed and head lowered. Her body was completely motionless.

“Meowstic!” Mismagius gasped. She swooped into the library and slammed the door shut, then used her telekinesis to force one of the empty chairs toward her. Her eyes darted all over the room, and no other souls hid in the shadows or made their presence known. She wedged the chair’s back against the doorknob, then tested it twice to ensure no one could’ve slithered inside.

Even with no signs of another Pokemon around, Mismagius knew she and Meowstic wouldn’t have been alone for long. She shivered as the air felt even colder than ever, not unlike a winter morning. Her breaths emitted a white mist. Even the two windows out back looked like sheets of ice.

None of that bothered Mismagius as she inched closer to her unconscious friend. What had grabbed her attention was the suspicion of a thin arm resting against her shoulder, ready to have covered her mouth. She turned around and gulped.

No one was behind her.

Mismagius looked back to her friend, squinting at the rope that’d constricted the Pokemon.

Then a bluish arm rested against her, and she saw a webbed hand.

Mismagius ducked out of instinct and turned around. Before her was a hunched figure with a massive tongue that circled his neck. His pink eyes shone, yet seemed lifeless at the same time as he limped toward Mismagius.

“How did. . .” Mismagius scuttled away from Greninja as her adversary hobbled toward her with a hunched back. Everything around her became a twisted blur of colors. A cacophony of heartbeats and deep breaths blared into her ears, so loud to where they seemed close to shattering the windows. Even as she tried to form a single word, anything that could've been said to the Pokemon, all that came out was a puff of white smoke and a faint cry.

“ _Why are you here_?” Greninja hissed. A reddish aura enveloped his body.

Mismagius kept silent. She noticed the foe had raised his arm, and just before it careened toward her, she jumped away to her right. Panting, she dove toward Meowstic and chewed at the rope’s knots.

The rope felt like barbed wire against her mouth, yet the knots came apart once she pulled her head back, and Meowstic fell onto the floor. Mismagius grabbed her friend. She looked back at Greninja. Her mind raced as she recalled the room’s layout and its exit points.

“The window’s an option, but Skorupi still needs our help,” Mismagius whispered under her breath. “I’ve got to find a way past him, then through the doorway and to wherever he’s keeping Skorupi. The poor guy can’t be too far.”

“ _Don’t do that!_ ” Greninja screamed at the top of his lungs. “ _Why would you take her? She’s mine!_ ” He hopped toward the two Pokemon, yet his movements were erratic and short. “ _Give her back!_ ”

A pair of vines broke through the floor and grabbed onto Mismagius. She recognized the technique as Grass Knot, a weak move when used on someone like herself. Mismagius tugged at the vines and broke free from its grasp. She crashed onto the floor with Meowstic in tow.

Greninja cackled, then jumped even closer to Mismagius and Meowstic. He covered much more distance this time, yet instead of giving chase to his prey, he perched atop one of the chairs. “ _I can smell your fear! Your weakness! Coming here was a mistake!_ ”

“It wasn’t!”

Mismagius emitted a bright light, and a sudden force pushed Greninja away from her and into of the empty bookcases. A sickening smash rang in the air as debris flew across the room and kicked clouds of dust into the air.

Time felt as though it came to a halt. Mismagius rubbed her eyes and looked at Greninja’s body hunched over a toppled bookcase. She caught her breath, then tightened her grip on Meowstic. “Don’t think I won’t use everything in my power to save my friend! She means the world to me, and I won’t let anyone hurt her! Got that?”

“ _That—_ ” Greninja hacked up some spit. “ _How did you do that?_ ” The dark aura had vanished. He swayed back and forth, then held onto one of the bookcases as a crutch whilst he flailed his tongue around. “ _Tell me_!”

“Dazzling Gleam if you must know.” Mismagius dusted herself off. “TMs come in handy, after all.”

“ _You and your. . ._ ” Before Greninja could’ve finished, a dark hand wrapped around his waist. He shuddered, then glanced behind his shoulder and spotted a Mimikyu and a Skorupi, the fire in their eyes visible. “ _You broke him free?_ ”

Mimikyu chortled. “She got me out of your stupid staple, and then I met this young lad.” Mimikyu looked over to Skorupi, and the latter hopped closer to him. “The rest is pretty self-explanatory, wouldn’t you say?”

“ _You—_ ” Greninja’s arms and legs convulsed. The pink glow in his eyes disappeared, only to be replaced by a vacant whiteness. His body became limp as it slowly dissolved into nothingness, but not before he twisted his neck to look at Mismagius. “ _You caught me. I've been truly bested. Does that mean the curse is. . ._ ”

Greninja wheezed as Mimikyu tightened his grip on the outlaw. The former closed his eyes and became still. His body was consumed by a dark energy, breaking himself free from Mimikyu’s grasp.

Any last trace of the frog-like Pokemon vanished into thin air.

No one said a word for the next minute, yet it seemed as though the weather had warmed up. The sunlight that peered through the windows shone brighter than ever. Some chirps outside became audible.

Mismagius felt at ease for the first time in what must’ve been ages. She fell down and placed Meowstic onto the floor, her motions ever so slight. She huffed and puffed, the white mist that had left her mouth earlier gone.

“Just needed a challenge to his ego,” Mimikyu grumbled to himself. “Wouldn’t have expected anything less for breaking a curse.” He approached the two Pokemon alongside Skorupi, then looked over Meowstic with weary expressions. “She’ll be okay, but maybe a little shaken up.” He brought his attention back to Mismagius. “You know all about passing out, right?”

“Very funny,” Mismagius retorted.

Faint grunts escaped Meowstic’s mouth. The Pokemon opened her eyes, blinked a few times, and pushed herself upright. She turned to Mimikyu and Skorupi, then back to Mismagius. Her lips curled into a radiant smile. “I was going to ask what happened, but seeing you here is all I need.”

Mismagius embraced her best friend in a hug. Warmth spread throughout her body as Meowstic returned the favor. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you were seriously hurt.”

“But you saved my life,” Meowstic muttered. She lurched closer to Mismagius’s ear, and their cheeks rubbed against each other. “You’re my hero, and no stupid badge or rank will ever change that.”

Tears dripped down Mismagius’s cheeks, yet she wore a wide grin. “I am?”

Meowstic nodded in an instant. “We make the perfect pair, remember?”

Skorupi raised his claw, then hopped in place. “Not to kill the mood, but. . .”

“We’ll get you back to Lombre,” Mismagius replied, still hugging Meowstic. She looked back at Skorupi and gave him a nod. “Sorry we couldn’t have gotten here earlier. It must’ve been so scary for you.”

“Mimikyu cheered me up.” Skorupi crawled toward the puppet-like Pokemon and grinned. “Guy has such a cool attitude! I wanna learn so much from him once we get out of this dump! Heck, I wanna learn from you two!”

Meowstic rolled onto her back. “We’d be glad to help out,” she said. “But we should get out of here before anything else happens.” She stood up, and while her legs wobbled for a moment, she regained her composure and shook her tail. “Did the culprit escape?”

“Rotom?” Mismagius responded. “He could be anywhere, but we know enough about him to where the entire continent and then some will be conducting a search. We’ve got all the info we need.”

“That moron was behind this?” Meowstic’s rolled her eyes. She groaned and placed a paw on her hip. “Did he even have a master plan?”

“He’s an opportunistic idiot!” Mimikyu exclaimed, hopping like a spring. “ Probably thought he’d get lots of treasure from the mansion. I don’t think he knows _why_ Greninja was stuck in the manor.” He laughed once more and slapped the floor. “A notorious outlaw from generations ago doesn’t make allies. He played himself, and I couldn’t think of a better outcome!”

“And thank goodness for that,” said Mismagius. She fiddled with her bag and hovered toward one of the windows. Opening it, she gestured toward the exit and gave her friends a nod. “Anyway, we should get some rest first. Our base should have enough room for you two.”

Meowstic crossed her arms. Her smirk widened. “Never felt happier to hear those words.”

Mismagius nodded in return. “Same here, sweetie."


End file.
